The present invention relates to a foot controller as may be used to control the operation of a variety of dental instruments such as drills, syringes, scalers or the like. In particular, the foot controller of the present invention functions to permit both selection and control of a utility source such as air, water or electricity simply by stepping on a single pedal which is hinged for movement about a horizontal axis.
Foot controllers are known that have a single horizontally swinging foot operated lever to control variables such as speed of an air or electrically driven handpiece. In some cases, the lever can be biased to a neutral position so the movement of the lever to either side of neutral will control a different function. In a foot controller as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,471,928, the control element is a ring which is pivoted about a vertical axis to either side of a neutral position. The farther the ring is moved from the neutral position, the greater the speed or flow. Separate foot operated switches are used to select the utility such as air, water or spray while movement of the ring controls the flow rate of the selected utility as needed.
In another known foot controller, as shown in German Pat. No. 2,530,108, a foot pedal is depressed for switching on the particular instrument to be controlled. The pedal is then tilted in one direction or another to raise or lower the speed of the instrument. By simultaneously stepping on a second pedal, a switch is operated which additionally makes possible the release of cooling water from the instrument.
In the present invention, simply stepping on a foot pedal and depressing it about a horizontal axis acts both to select the utility service desired and to control the rate of flow of the service. The foot control of the present invention has two such pedals both acting on a single regulator capable of providing a variable output depending upon the position of the foot pedal. Each pedal is in turn connected to a switch which is associated with the desired utility so that upon operation of the foot pedal both the initiation and the control of the flow of the selected utility is achieved.